The Rain Forests of GhanaGEOG 306/4-AA Term Project 2

Jane Sorensen 3031284

Due: March 7, 1995

Abstract: Ghana’s rain forests are slightly more extensive and better protected than neighboring countries’ forests apparently are. They are situated in the bottom 1/3 of the country’s land area, and four types of forest occur. The reserves are best protected and managed, and it is crucial that they continue to be, but the surrounding countryside is by no means barren. The largest threat to Ghana’s rain forests is through degradation through expansion of villages and increase in population.

Ghana’s vegetation mostly comprises of savannah, while the southern one third of

the country’s area contains tropical moist forests, coastal grassland, and coastal swamp or

marsh (Kurlan, 1992). These forests are generally characterized by low nutrient soils,

multiple canopy layers, slow growth rates in mature forests, and semi-deciduous habits

are common (Wagner and Cobbinah, 1993). In Ghana, the species distribution is well-

known for scientists and villagers alike (Del, 1989; Wagner and Cobbinah, 1993), and the

richness is around 2300 plant species, 680 of which are trees (Wagner and Cobbinah,

1993). Basic ecological research is currently being conducted.

Both wet (3.3% of total land area) and moist (8.2%) evergreen areas exist in Ghana,

along with moist semi-deciduous (14.1%) and dry semi-deciduous (9.0%; some in fire

zones), and two types of savannah woodlands (Guinea, 55.3% and Sudan, 0.8%) also

occur. The percentages of closed forest area add up to 34.6%, or 82,650 km2, while the

savannahs and corresponding woodlands add up to 56.1%, or 134,038 km2, out of

238,500 km2 total land area (Wagner and Cobbinah, 1993). Closed woodland, as a

distinction, is a transitional phase between forest and savannah, where fire has not

occurred for several decades, permitting the maturing of young trees. If protection from

fire continues, forest trees may succeed the savannah trees. Fire zone trees are

characterized by a high canopy and few sub-canopy species, since trees less than 20-30

cm diameter at breast height are killed by recurring fires (Fargey, 1992).

Ghana’s main forest landscape has been described as highly fragmented. Many

lowland tropical rain forest habitats have survived under the protection of national park,

game reserve or forest reserve status (Dudley, Mensah-Ntlamoah and Kpelle, 1992),

where they are legally protected from exploitation and harvest.

While it is ambiguous how much area is thus protected (about 15,913 km’ of forests

are in reserves, 73% in production, and 27% in protection), about 720 km2 are located in

four major parks: 106.3 in Nini Suhien National Park; 228.1 in Bla Game Production

Reserve, 77.8 in Bla National Park and 307.4 in Ankasa Game Production Reserve

(Wagner and Cobbinah, 1993). The Kakum and Assin-Attandanso Forest Reserves

conserve a block of largely secondary tropical moist forest of 347 km2 in area (Dudley,

Mensah-Ntlamoah and Kpelle, 1992). Kurlan (1992) estimates that 5.1-10% of the total

land area in Ghana is under national environmental protection.

According to World Resources 1990-91, Ghana has 8.693 million hectares (86930

km2, conversion 100 ha/km2) of forest and woodland, 1,718,000 of which are closed

forest. 397,000 hectares of closed forest are protected, and 1,167,000 ha are managed.

Though these figures are ambiguous concerning the above information, Ghana is one of

the few African countries for which data was available. Ghana also has 22% of original

forest remaining (Gay, 1993; Wagner and Cobbinah, 1993), which is a larger relative area

in comparison to ether the Ivory Coast, Guinea, Sierra Leone or Nigeria, which all have

decreased to 10% (Gay, 1993). By this estimation, then, we can calculate that the original

forest cover was 39,513,600 ha in area.

The actual extent of forest in Ghana is statistically under-represented, however, when

land that is usually classified as being deforested for agriculture actually has trees

growing wild on it. Ghana’s major crop is cocoa, which requires an overstorey of forest

trees for shade. As well, cocoa plantations leave small patches of native forest on slopes

and along streams.

Villages sustain sacred groves throughout the country. The forest in these small

patches is relatively undisturbed, and can be considered refugia, or islands of species

diversity (Wagner and Cobbinah, 1993). The conservation of the sacred groves, which

are only a few hectares each, is increasing in importance because in densely populated

areas, they may contain the only intact forest (Fargey, 1992).

Annual rates of deforestation (defined as permanent removal of forest for land use in

shifting cultivation, permanent agriculture, or settlements) are 22,000 hectares of closed

forest (1.3% of closed forest area) and 50,000 hectares of open forest (0.7% of open

forest area), together totaling 0.8% of the total forest being removed per year. 2,000

hectares of plantation are established each year (World Resources, 1990-91). Wagner and

Cobbinah state that the deforestation rate for 1981-1985 was 1.3% annually, but they also

concede that reserve areas have suffered from illegal logging. Forestry officials in Ghana

estimate that as much as $50 million of wood is illegally exported from Ghana per year

(Myers, 1992). Forestry ranks third in contribution to the gross domestic product.

Slash-and-burn agriculture is widely practiced in Ghana on land that is already

classified as deforested, such as abandoned farm plots. The government also promotes

sustainable agro-forestry programs (Wagner and Cobbinah, 1993). Certain types of

hunting, such as the ‘combing-out’ method for capturing middle-sized animals, used to

set fire to individual trees and the forest, but it was prohibited due to rampant bush fires

(Del, 1989).

Apparently, certain cultural controls on the respect of forest resources operate

widely, since the ability to rely on wild forest products in times of need is an important

asset of the community (Del, 1989; Fargey, 1992). The largest social threat to forested

areas is population increase through expansion of villages. Degradation occurs through

the digging of latrines and garbage pits and the invasion of bush fires (Fargey, 1992).

Private contracting for timber harvest in the Kakum and Assin-Attandanso Reserves

recently resulted in several virtually clear-cut areas of five to ten ha. Due to the secondary

nature of the forest in these reserves (Dudley, Mensah-Ntlamoah and Kpelle, 1992) the

deforested areas are small enough to be recolonized rapidly. Secondary forests are also

increase the abundance of game and certain other animal species because the browse is

better quality (Dudley, Mensah-Ntlamoah and Kpelle, 1992; Del, 1989).

Deforestation, as quoted in figures above, is apparently not a threat to Ghana’s

tropical forest reserves. The government has very clear laws on timber harvesting and

land-use management, and the illegal felling of trees and conversion to farms is not

rampant. Degradation does occur, primarily through the expansion of villages, and

through timber poaching/farming. There has yet to be determined how efficient the

enforcement of these laws is, but cultural controls are effective. For a discussion on

government policy on forest management, see Wagner and Cobbinah, 1993.

ReferencesDel, G.J.S. (1989). Hunting and gathering in a Ghanaian rain forest community.

Ecology of Food and Nutrition, 22(3):225-243.

Dudley, J.P., A.Y. Mensah-Ntlamoah, D.G. Kpelle (1992). Forest elephants in a

rainforest fragment: preliminary findings from a wildlife conservation project in southern

Ghana. African Journal of Ecology, 30(2):116-126.

Fargey, P.J. (1992). Boabeng-Fiema Monkey Sanctuary—an example of traditional

conservation in Ghana. Oryx 26(3):151156.

Gay, Kathlyn. 1993. Rainforests of the World: a reference handbook. ABC-CLIO,

Santa Barbara, California. 219 pp.

Kurlan, George T. 1992. Atlas of the Third World, 2 ed. Facts on File Publishing

Co., New York, New York. 384 pp.

Myers, N. 1992. The Primary Source. W. W. Norton & Company, New York, New

York. 416 pp.

World Resources: a report by the World Resources institute and international

institute for Environment and Development. 1990/1991. Basic Books, New York, New

York. 383 pp.